Telegraph-key.



- R. 0. BRITTIN.

TELEGRAPH KEY. APPLICATION FILED NOV.'12, 1913.

1,099,912, Patented June 16,1914.

RAYMOND CLARK BRITTIN, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

TELEGRAPH-KEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 16, 1914.

Application filed November 12, 1913. Serial No. 800,484.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RAYMOND C. BRITTIN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Norwich, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Telegraph- Keys, of which the following is a specification,

This invention relates to a telegraph key.

The object of the invention is to insure positive closing of a line circuit when the key is not in use; to avoid the necessity of having a pivoted switch separate from the operating key; and to provide a circuit closing device which is not liable to be accidentally knocked open.

The invention consists of the novel features of construction hereinafter described, pointed out in the claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the key, parts being in closed position. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation of the forward portion of the key, parts being in open po-.

sition. v

In these drawings 1 represents the usual base and 2 the pivoted key, said base being provided with the depending posts 3 and 4 by means of which it is secured in place and to which the respective line wires are secured. The forward post 4 shown in Figs.

,3 and 4 is provided with an insulating sleeve 5 which insulates it from the base 1 and the upper end of said post carries one of the contact pins 6, the other pin 7 being carried by the under side of the key.

A contact plate 8 is secured upon the under side of the head of the post 4 and extends transversely across the forward end of the base but out of contact with any part of said base. Instead of mounting the knob 9 directly upon the key as is the usual practice I mount upon the forward portion of the key a slidable block 10 which carries said lmob. A spring member 11 also extends from said block to the body portion of the key, the entire end. of said member being flanged and slidable along the key. To the under side of the block is secured the shank portion of a two pronged switch 12, which switch is adapted to straddle post 4 and the upper-portion of the sleeve 5, the prongs passing between the base 1 and the plate 8 when the block 10 is moved along the key toward the base.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 I have shown the parts in normal position, the key being inoperative and the circuit being completed through the post 3, base 1, switch 12, plate 8 and post 4. By moving the post outwardly into the position shown in Fig. 4 prongs of the switch 12 are moved out of engagement with the plate 8, the key is brought into operative position and the circuit broken. In such position the circuit is completed only by contact of the pins 6 and 7 due to operation of the key.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a telegraph key comprising binding posts one of which is insulated from the key base, a contact plate carried by said insulated post and spaced from the base, an operating knob movable along the key, and a forked switch movable with said knob and adapted to complete a circuit between said plate and said base when said knob is moved along the key toward the base.

2. The combination with a telegraph key, a block slidably mounted thereon, an operating knob carried by said block, and a circuit closing device carried by said block, the said circuit being opened and the key operative when the block is moved to the outer end portion of the key, the circuit being closed and the key inoperative when the block is moved inwardly, as and for the purpose set forth.

RAYMOND CLARK BRITTIN.

Witnesses:

C. V. PENDLETON, J r., S. H. THUSPER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

